Mihara Triumphant in Taipei

Sunday, November 25, 2012

727 mages descended upon Taipei to battle for the right to be crowned champion, but after nearly 36 hours of bloody battle, only one man remained standing tall amongst the carnage, and that was 2006 World Champion, Makihito Mihara, from Japan.

Mihara allied with Selesnya and Golgari throughout tournament, using a handful of Guildgates to let him stand with a foot in each camp, cutting down opponents left and right, making it as far as round 14 before finally dropping a match. Having finished in first place after the Swiss rounds, Mihara had earned the right to play first in all of his Top 8 matches, and he made full use of that initiative, casting aside the Green Guilds in favor of a viciously aggressive Rakdos deck that quickly put his Top 8 opponents on the back foot.

Also making the Top 8 was Yuuya Watanabe and Shi Tian Lee, looking to continue on their Top 4 successes at Pro Tour Return to Ravnica. They were joined by Toshiaki Murata, Derek Tsang, Akimasa Yamamoto, Weng Heng Soh, and Mokoti Abe the last three also earning an invite to Pro Tour Gatecrash in Montreal in February next year.

While for most of the tournament, it looked like Selesnya, backed by the Golgari, would take down the title, Mihara's decision to switch sides in the eleventh hour put the trophy squarely in the hands of the Rakdos, who would no doubt be partying tonight. But then, isn't that every night for the Rakdos?

After finishing day one 9-0, Hong Kong's Derek Tsang continued to win enough rounds to put himself into the Top 8, which trust me, is not as easy as it sounds. Sitting across from Tsang after the draft and in his third Grand Prix Top 8 is Weng Heng Soh from Singapore.

Soh raced against the unblockable Spirit with his Centaur Healer and a Centaur Token. Tsang tried to Azorius Charm the Token, but Soh pointed Trostani's Judgment at the Spirit in response. Not willing let Soh populate, Tsang responded with a second Charm on the Token.

Derek Tsang can't believe his great Azorius deck is taking a beating from Selesnya.

But the monsters kept coming from Soh, and while a Voidwielder stemmed some of the attack, Tsang now lacked a way of attacking back, and it wasn't long before some Bird Tokens were putting away game one for Soh.

Soh 1 – Tsang 0

Soh missed several land drops after his third in game two, but one of his three was an Island, a color he hadn't shown in game one. However, Tsang wasn't punishing Soh for his slow start, only attacking with his Soulsworn Spirit. Soh again began to amass a Centaur Army with a Healer and a Centaur's Herald, but things started to get serious when Tsang added a Skyline Predator to his team at the end of Soh's turn, and followed it up with a Voidwielder on Soh's Centaur Token. Soh bashed through the 'Wielder with a Savage Surge, and took down the Predator with an Aerial Predation.

Tsang added a Crosstown Courier to his board, while Soh again had Eyes in the Skies. Soh looked over at the cards in Tsang's hand, before tapping out to play Collective Blessing. Tsang slumped in his chair, and nodded. The Birds knocked Tsang down to 8 life, while the Courier stepped in front of the moving Centaur Healer train. Tsang untapped and knocked one of the Birds out of the air with his Voidwielder, but fell to 4 from the other one during Soh's turn, the 'Wielder following in the Courier's fatal footsteps.

Weng Heng Soh is kickin' 3/3's at his opponent.

Tsang peeled his card off the top of his deck, and considered his options. He finally cast Righteous Authority on his Spirit, and attacked. Soh simply Sundering Growth'd the Authority, adding a second Bird to his team. Tsang then tried to cast a Detention Sphere, but Soh finally revealed what his Island was for, and Syncopated the Sphere, causing Tsang to extend his hand in defeat.

Weng Heng Soh defeats Derek Tsang 2 – 0

Quarterfinals - Derek Tsang vs. Weng Heng Soh

by Chapman Sim

Makihito Mihara is playing in his fifth Grand Prix Top 8. To clinch a second Grand Prix title, he would need to surmount the obstacle ahead of him. However, it would be a difficult hurdle to leap over, since he was paired against Yuuya Watanabe. With today's performance, Watanabe is now tied with Raphael Levy and Antoine Ruel in fifth place in terms of lifetime Grand Prix Top 8s, a ridiculous 18 apiece.

Things started to get out of hand, when Watanabe successfully resolved, and then untapped with Mercurial Chemister. Watanabe discarded one of his many Pursuit of Flights to kill the 3/2, before feeling comfortable enough to attack with Tower Drake, and then drawing two cards the next two activations.

Mihara felt that he couldn't wait any longer, and turned his massive team sideways (not like his creatures could block properly anyway), but could only sneak in two damage with the Grim Roustabout. Watanabe untapped, and counterattacked with everything (including the Mercurial Alchemist) to reduce Mihara from 14 to nothing in one fell swoop.

Mihara 0 – Watanabe 1

Game Two

Watanabe, stuck on two Islands, was able to summon two Frostburn Weirds to stave off the opposing Grim Roustabout and Splatter Thug. When both creatures entered the red zone, he chose to tie up Mihara's mana instead, opting to double block the regenerator, trying to buy time to draw his third land. Dynacharge took down one of the weirds but Watanabe failed to draw any land for three turns. As he moved to the discard step, he decided he couldn't win this one, and decided to scoop it up.

Until Mihara unleashed Spawn of Rix Maadi, which bit a huge chunk of life from Watanabe. Stab Wound on Splatter Thug reduced Watanabe to just ten life and the usually confident Watanabe let out a huge sigh of desperation.

Casting the last card in his hand (Goblin Rally), he could only pass the turn and hope for the best. Mihara topped off his curve with Carnival Hellsteed, and the spectators gasped. Yuuya Watanabe had fallen.

Mihara 2 – Watanabe 1

Semifinals – Akimasa Yamamoto vs. Soh Weng Heng

by Chapman Sim

This is Soh Weng Heng's third trip to the Top 8 of a Grand Prix within a short span of two short years, but he was playing in the semifinals for the very first time. After a string of heartbreaking misses over the last two years (including 6th at GP Singapore 2011, 7th at GP Manila 2012 and a couple of PTQ finals appearances), Soh finds himself qualified for Pro Tour Gatecrash. The same is true for his opponent, Akimasa Yamamoto (Pro Tour Kyoto semifinalist and Grand Prix Okayama quarterfinalist), is also playing in his first Grand Prix semifinal.

Game One

Yamamoto led with turn two Pack Rat. Soh was playing Selesnya. Well, that was it.

Despite mounting a (somewhat negligible) defense with Loxodon Smiter and Avenging Arrow, those minor irritants could only delay Soh's inevitable loss, but not prevent it.

Yamamoto 1 – Soh 0

Game Two

Pack Rats did not appear this time, but Soh did not seem to be doing so well either. After mulliganing to six, his first creature was a Wayfaring Temple. With no other creatures or tokens in sight, it was simply an overcosted 1/1.

When Soh tried defending with Doorkeeper, Ultimate Price kept it out of the way, enabling Yamamoto the march in for the win. Soh would have to be content with "merely" free airfare to Montreal, a Pro Tour Invite, USD$1500 and five precious Pro Points. Akimasa Yamamoto will confront Makihito Mihara in the finals!

Yamamoto 2 – Soh 0

Semifinals – Makihito Mihara vs. Motoki Abe

by Ray “blisterguy” Walkinshaw

Having thoroughly battered almost everyone who stood in his way during the Swiss rounds, Makihito Mihara was happy to play first with his Rakdos deck, his first play an unleashed Splatter Thug, while Abe's Golgari deck partook in a little Grisly Salvage to get set up, before playing the dreaded Pack Rat on turn three.

The Rats multiplied, while Mihara summoned his Hellsteed, and a Gore-House Chainwalker, but kept them both on a leash. Abe tried to smash through the Hellsteed with a Giant Growth, but Mihara punished him with a Dynacharge and an Annihilating Fire, leaving a solitary Rat post combat. Mihara untapped and sent his Hellsteed on a Launch Party to take down the last Rat. Abe recovered with a Perilous Shadow, which Mihara had no answer for, so they were off to game three.

Mihara 1 – Abe 1

Mihara threw away his opening 7 cards in the decider, while Abe kept. Mihara unleashed a Grim Roustabout on turn two, while Abe once again summoned his Pack Rat. Mihara attacked past the Rat, and then gave it a fatal Stab Wound, the audience giving a quite cheer of appreciation.

Makihito Mihara is a master of the Rat.

Abe summoned a Trestle Troll, while Mihara let his Roustabout indulge in a little Deviant Glee. Abe then tried to throw a Launch Party for his Troll and the Roustabout, but failed to notice that Launch Party allowed visiting party goers to regenerate. Mihara did not fail to notice.

After Akimasa Yamamoto dispatched Soh Weng Heng in the semifinal, the question of whether there would be an all-Japanese finals was answered. Makihito Mihara is living proof that you can defeat Pack Rat. Despite drawing it all three games, Motoki Abe was unable to defeat the former World Champion.

Mihara revealed Traitorous Instinct from his hand, causing the Yamamoto and the crowd to giggle at the overkill.

Mihara 1 - Yamamoto 0

Game Two

Both players took a trip to Paris, going down to six. Once again, Mihara was the aggressor leading with Grim Roustabout coupled with Defiant Glee, but it eventually paid the Ultimate Price after dealing a total of ten damage (in chunks of two, four and four).

However, things can change when Stab Wound rears its ugly head. Mihara lowered his opponent to 10 life, by placing the aura on the Golgari guild leader. Yamamoto decided to run him in against Mihara's un-unleashed (pardon the double negative) Spawn of Rix Maadi. Before Jarad could fall, Yamamoto flung Centaur Healer at his opponent, reducing Mihara to 15 life.

At just six life (after deducting two from Launch Party), Yamamoto was facing a lethal Carnival Hellsteed. Bringing back Jarad was out of the question, since he no longer controlled a swamp. He tried using Phantom Guard to stay alive, but Mihara wouldn't let him. Slum Reaper would force him to sacrifice his only blocker.

If you were to open a six mana bomb in your booster draft, you probably want something along the lines of Carnival Hellsteed. Unlike cards like Isperia, Supreme Judge or Niv-Mizzet Dracogenius, this monster has a gentle casting cost (which potentially allows splashing) and comes with the added benefit of not falling to commons like Auger Spree or Aerial Predation. It doesn't get gang-blocked efficiently either, making it truly potent in the red zone. With haste, Carnival Hellsteed has helped many win races in a beatdown-oriented format like Return to Ravnica Limited. Makihito Mihara was seen mauling his opponents with it all throughout the Top 8.

Blue White is a pretty good color combination, isn't it? Aside from being home to cheap efficient creatures with evasion, it's also in the guild with easy access to the "detain" mechanic. Detention Sphere also works like constructed superstars Maelstrom Pulse and Vindicate, in a sense that it is versatile enough to catch even artifacts, enchantments or even Planeswalkers! Derek Tsang was fortunate to draw one of his two copies to deal with Soh Weng Heng's Collective Blessing in the quarterfinals. If not for a timely Syncopate, Tsang would have had a chance to break into the Top 4. In addition, it is such a blowout against the #2 card on this list, which makes this the premium Azorius removal spell of choice, unlike situational or clunky cards like Avenging Arrow or Trostani's Judgment.

Few cards can dominate the board on its own, much alone win the game single-handedly. This is why Vitu-Ghazi Guildmage is such a gem in this format. Many Pros consider this color combination to be the best guild to draft, and its power is greatly enhanced by Vitu-Ghazi Guildmage, which has been helping players break stalemates and stabilize boards all weekend. Players were witnessed duplicating tokens of all varieties all weekend, usually resulting in an eventual victory.

Two 9-0 players had Pack Rat in their Sealed decks yesterday. Pack Rat helped Motoki Abe and Akimasa Yamamoto get past their quarterfinals and semifinals respectively. It is no coincidence that this powerful rodent found its way to near the top of this list. The existence of this card has almost invalidated the question, "Which card do you wish to open in your Return to Ravnica Sealed Deck or Booster Draft?".

This card fills a ridiculous amount of roles for the low low cost of three mana. It provides a constant stream of damage, the first tick commencing from the moment your opponent untaps. It shrinks creatures and alleviates your own pain. It's amusing when you put it on cards like defenders and unleashed creatures and breaks the monotony of a standstill. Occasionally, Stab Wound forces your opponent to do unorthodox things, like running the affected creature into a brick wall, or pointing a removal spell to kill their own guy. Notably in the finals, Makihito Mihara was able to force his opponent to attack unprofitably with his Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord. The next time you do a booster draft, please make sure you have a plan for this card (like Keening Apparition or Faerie Impostor), or you'll be in for a world of hurt.